Monday, 22 May 2017 15:58

Tory plans to wipe student debt after five years for teaching 'critical subjects' hailed by teaching organisations

It is something that all students have to accept – once they start work and earn over the income threshold, they will have to begin making repayments on their student loan.

This week, however, the Tories have announced that some newly qualified teachers who end up teaching in ‘critical shortage subjects’ may have their student debt wiped clean after five years in a bid to boost numbers and make the idea of teaching these subjects more lucrative.

This could see some students let off when it comes to paying back in excess of £25,000. The plan is thought to be a way of retaining staff in schools with recent figures highlighting a large portion of newly qualified teachers leave their jobs within the first four years.

Whilst many are hailing the new proposals as a great way to boost the number of teachers staying on in schools and teaching flagging but critical subjects, others are concerned the plans could descend into chaos.

Many students are arguing that there are many professions that are struggling in terms of recruiting sufficient numbers and have equally concerning retention issues – namely GPs – and believe that these professions need the same kind of support. It is a good point really. Could it not be that a can of worms is being opened and that there will be students in other ailing professions that need the same kind of support. What then? Loans cannot be written off for everyone.

The announcement, part of the Tories manifesto which was launched on Thursday, has been hailed as a good idea by many teaching associations and they have said that they hope to see staff numbers rise because of the planned changes.

Whilst potential teachers are rubbing their hands together at the prospect of these proposed plans coming to fruition, however, the Tories are having to deal with a backlash following their plans for school children to lose free school meals.

It appears that whilst appeasing students and teaching organisations and the hardships that they are currently facing, they have completely turned the tables on parents of young children.

Addressing her supporters on Thursday, Theresa May said she would be replacing lunchtime meals for young children in primary and junior schools with free breakfasts.

The Tories pointed to recent research which suggested that breakfasts were just as valuable for children as hot dinners were – but breakfasts would be far cheaper to offer – which is why the conservatives want to make the change. It is estimated that offering breakfast as opposed to dinners will be a tenth of the cost for the government, meaning that the money saved can be ploughed into the education system, according to the government. 

The Tories have faced a massive backlash because of the plans with many saying that they are deliberately targeting the children of the poorest in our community.

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